Canadian Air and Space Museum evicted from historic Toronto home

A part of Canada's aviation history is suddenly homeless.

The Canadian Air and Space Museum in Toronto has been evicted from its home in Downsview Park, apparently over unpaid rent, the Toronto Star reports.

The space is to be turned into an arena for skating and hockey, which will be ready in September 2013.

The eviction breaks the historic link between the building and Canadian aviation development. Constructed in 1929, it was once a hangar owned by de Havilland Aircraft of Canada, the country's oldest surviving aircraft factory, according to the museum's website.

The famed Beaver and Otter bush planes were developed there and Canada's first satellite, Alouette I, was built there.

Later it became the Royal Canadian Air Force's main Toronto base and the original home of SPAR Aerospace, creator of the CanadArm.

The museum's collection includes a full-scale replica of the Avro Arrow, Canada's ill-fated jet-fighter project, as well as biplanes, a Lancaster bomber built at nearby Malton, and a Tracker anti-submarine aircraft built at Downsview.

The move was a surprise to volunteers who showed for work Tuesday to find an eviction notice and workers changing the locks on the location it occupied for 12 years.

"I'm distraught. I'm ready to cry," museum CEO Robert Cohen told the Star. "I can't leave this place. I'm camping here. They're gonna have to throw me out."

The museum had racked up $100,000 in rent arrears, which volunteers said was due to, among other things, a failed fundraising campaign and wholesale changes to management.

They quickly began emptying the building of the museum's collection. The landlord said the haste is unnecessary because they have six months to vacate.

"I can't comment on other people's interpretations (of the notice)," said Downsview Park board chairman David Soknacki. "We would welcome them in to have a discussion about their future."

Soknacki said the change comes in part because the museum wasn't drawing enough people to Downsview Park, the 672-acre site dubbed "Canada's first national urban park."

The new rink will be privately operated but run some city ice programs and offer 240 hours annually of community programs. But museum volunteers say there's a hockey rink right down the street.

"You could actually chip a golf ball at it," said Campbell Young, 74, who has been volunteering at the museum for more than a decade. "We were hoping things would turn around. If we can raise enough hell . . . hopefully someone will skip in and at least give us a reprieve."

(Photo courtesy of CASM)